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THE CREW Copy Production Owen Waters, David Blacklock & Traci O'Dea Advertising Production Colin Rathbun & Nick Cunha Advertising Sales Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com Graphic Design Richard George & Nick Cunha Executive Producer Colin Rathbun, aLookingGlass Publishing colin@alookingglass.com For additional information contact Nick Cunha or Colin Rathbun at aLookingGlass or visit www.bviyg.com aLookingGlass #7 Road Reef Plaza, P.O. Box 3895 Sea Cows Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands t 284.494.7788 f 284.494.8777 www.alookingglass.com | info@alookingglass.com
On the Cover: A New Cat in Town Cover photo by Chris Osman.
letter from the editor Welcome to Yacht Guide's October issue. Welcome to the October issue of Yacht Guide. Around the corner is the BVI Charter Yacht Show, signifying the start of our charter season. We managed to catch up with organizer Janet Oliver midway through her planning. As word spreads round the world of countries pulling themselves out of recession, it is yet to be seen whether the holiday makers and regular visitors will make it back through to the Islands. Considering the devastation to the economies in Europe and the States and even closer in St Thomas, you only need to walk around town to see that as a whole the BVI has been weathering the storm. This season is the reality of the recession, and it will be interesting to see how the industry braves against better years. For certain, our Islands and their nature have remained the same. In a testament to Island spirit, we are proud to bring you our front cover featuring men with a vision of boat building and keeping the skills island based, an island product. On walkabout at Wickham's Cay, under a blazing summer sun, I was shown the hulls in making and could not walk away from what I and many others appreciate as an old world skill, boat building. We are proud to present the project to you in its roots and will be following its development. On your reading of this, the summer has passed and ahead are cooler winds, swell and a hive of island activity. For those returning from a well deserved rest, welcome back and time to get the show on the road. From all at aLookingGlass, wishing you the best of the season.
See you on the water.
Owen Waters
aLookingGlass Ltd., publisher of BVI Yacht Guide, assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the content placed in its publications. For the avoidance of doubt, aLookingGlass gives no warranty or guarantee in regards to any information placed in its publications. BVI Yacht Guide and its contents are the intellectual property of aLookingGlass Ltd. Neither this magazine nor any part of it may be reproduced without written permission from aLookingGlass Ltd.
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OCTOBER 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Owen Waters
Managing Editor Owen Waters :: owen@alookingglass.com
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9 Provisioning: Make a List...
contents 12
Skipper's Tips: Punked 8 Our Skipper forgets to take his own advice and ends up with a missing dinghy. But then a serendipitous event leads to his discovery of a way to silence a noisy Caribe.
A New Cat in Town
Provisioning: Make a List and Check it Twice 9 Chef Susie shares her experience and recommendations for provisioning. No one wants to run out of rum, but you need something substantial to soak it up. Shoreside Review: Charlie’s Restaurant 11 Lunch at Charlie’s at The Moorings proves to be a delicious occasion with so many options that we’re going to have to go back for more. Especially to try the pizza.
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A New Cat in Town 12 An innovative, fuel-efficient powercat is being built on Tortola. YG had the opportunity to witness the hands-on construction of the first Rodgers 29.
Women on the Water
Women on the Water: Charter Yacht Society's Janet Oliver 14 Charter Yacht Society’s Janet Oliver has the daunting task of organizing the BVI Charter Yacht Show, the first boat show of the season. EDGE: Tricks and Tips for Spinnaker Trim 16 While beautiful to see puffed out on the water, a spinnaker can be a pain to manage. YG offers a few suggestions for handling your kite. BVI Yachting D irectory 19 Look here for the most up-to-date yacht charter and broker listings. It's a great place to start if you're looking to buy or charter a yacht in the BVI.
16 EDGE: Spinnaker Tricks
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OCTOBER 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
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w w w. b v i y c . c o m THE BOATS. THE SAILING. T H E E X P E R I E N C E . . .
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by David Blacklock
SKIPPER’STIPS Practice What You Preach Life isn't guaranteed to be easy.We all know that. But every now and then something happens to indicate that the universe has a deep, sick sense of humour, aimed quite precisely at you—or in this case, me. I refer to a recent 24-hour period in which my car was robbed and my dinghy stolen. I am quite certain that these events weren't causally, or even casually, related, but they still stung and sting still. The car thing was weird, but I accept that it was random—even though the thieves did take a couple of odd items (a steering wheel cover and an air conditioning vent) that, while precise in their targeting, did exclude some more desirable items that might have been of greater interest to a serious criminal. (Please note that all items of value have now been removed from said vehicle, leaving only a half-gallon of bleach and some laundry detergent.) But to have, on the same day, my dinghy stolen, added not only insult to injury but made me feel as if I had been totally punked. The pair of readers who follow this column might have noticed recent screeds in which the author (ahem) loudly proclaimed that those who had dinghies stolen had only themselves to blame since they clearly had failed to lock the dinghy in the first place. Well, guess what? Guilty as
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can generate whilst tied to the stern of a moored charged, of course. But in my defence, I will proclaim yacht. The astonishing array of oinks, grunts, snores that the dinghy was stolen not from a dock or a and sloppy slaps can keep many a sailor awake. It marina but out in the middle of a mooring field seems only the Caribe is set up to generate this where few people travel. It means that someone cacophony and until recently, no cure was known. targeted my dinghy (and its 15 hp Yammie), waited As luck would have until lights were out and it, however, I was on loud snoring emanated I felt violated. Stupid, too. And I a mooring at Cooper from the V-berth and snuck up to conclude vowed vengeance, but that must wait. Island a couple weeks ago, and the swirling their treacherous winds and counter transaction. The odd currents had the yacht, and its tender, swinging in all thing was, I suspected as much might happen and directions. One of these passes resulted in the dinghy had that weird premonition thing that I ought to painter wrapping itself around the dinghy's motor lock my dinghy but put it off then forgot about it. and trapping the noisy monster stern to the waves. My feelings in the morning were acute, as you might Suddenly, silence! So our tip for the day is—if your imagine. I felt violated. Stupid, too. And I vowed dink is busy oinking, turn it around and tie it off stern vengeance, but that must wait. to the weather, and quiet will be restored. Oh, and On a further note regarding dinghies, I am always don't forget to lock it! YG surprised by the amount of noise an 11-foot Caribe
OCTOBER 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Provisioning Make a List and CheCk it twiCe by Susie Younkle It's important to stock up on the essentials
Planning and discipline can be tough to practice in the Islands, where “no worries” and “mañana” are the mindset for many sailors. But similar to creating a float plan or performing preventative maintenance on a boat, doing a little preparation before provisioning will lead to easier and better meals afloat. If there’s a multi-day regatta, a boat delivery or a group of friends headed out for a few days of cruising, I’m typically responsible for food. The crew tends to eat very well when I’m aboard, not because we dine on six-course meals of steak and lobster but mainly because everything is so well organized and stress free. (It could also be due to the homemade cookies that magically appear from their hiding places in the galley. More about sweet treats in a future issue of Yacht Guide). A busy friend of mine was responsible for provisioning for eight people for a week of sailing, including a few nights in Anegada, where there are limited opportunities to top up stores. He went to the supermarket and randomly tossed items into his cart until it was full. When I joined the group for dinner ashore near the end of their trip, some of the crew were famished. One woman mentioned that she was having a fantastic week on the water – but lightheartedly admitted she didn’t want to eat stale baguettes with olive oil again for breakfast. There was little food remaining on the boat; however, there was no shortage of rum or wine. Although running low on food or buying the wrong selection of groceries will not ruin a voyage (unless, perhaps, you’re crossing an ocean), eating a great meal while relaxing on the deck of a boat is certainly
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one of the pleasures of cruising. The key to easier provisioning is to make up a menu that’s as detailed as possible. Write down a day-by-day, meal-by-meal menu, taking into account factors including availability of ingredients, refrigeration aboard the boat, food preferences of the crew and conditions under which meals will be prepared and eaten. Consider making quick sandwiches prior to a long day of sailing or plan a leisurely dinner on a “lay day.” A menu doesn’t have to indicate elaborate meals–listing “toast, jam and juice” for breakfast will suffice. But if you want gourmet fare, then by all means plan for it, both in terms of provisions needed and prep time aboard the boat. Also indicate on your menu any meals that you plan to eat ashore. “Painkillers and lunch at The Soggy Dollar Bar” should be on any BVI charterer’s menu. A little discipline in terms of menu planning will make the creation of your shopping list much easier and assure interesting and well-rounded meals aboard your boat. We’ve all witnessed the chaos that occurs when eight people rush into a BVI supermarket with no list and try to buy supplies for a week on the water. So designate a point person for provisioning. Ideally you’ll have someone aboard who likes cooking, or at least doesn’t mind it. Have that person create a menu and then send one or two people to the supermarket–with a shopping list. Alternatively, you can have different people take responsibility for planning different meals.
For hassle-free provisioning, most charter companies can coordinate provisioning for you, and local supermarkets take orders online and even deliver food to your boat. Typical options include full provisions for those who like cooking on board or partial provisions—such as breakfast and lunch only—so you can enjoy some meals ashore at local restaurants. Whatever your plan for provisioning, just make sure there’s plenty of rum aboard for “mañana.” YG
Riteway Food Markets provisioning service offers a number of services to help your visit to the British Virgin Islands be a fuss-free, enjoyable experience. Time is of the essence for you and our 20 plus years' experience in provisioning has enabled us to tailor our services to suit the needs of all concerned by providing a wide selection of choice foods, beverages, liquor and dry products. So, whether it is your private getaway schooner, or a Super Mega yacht, each order, no matter how large or small, is given the same amount of detailed attention and delivered directly to you. After all, it's the Riteway way of doing business! www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE OCTOBER 2009
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Charlie’s Restaurant
by Traci O'Dea
serves a Big LunCh at the Moorings Why have I never lunched at Charlie’s before? I ask myself as I savour a bite of grilled Portobello mushroom topped with fresh spinach and shaved parmesan. They’ve been open since late last year, but I didn’t even know they served lunch. In fact, I thought they were a fancy, pretentious dinner spot. I was completely wrong. The lunch menu at Charlie’s is vast, and I had a difficult time deciding between salads, pizzas, entrees, pastas and paninis. BVI Yacht Guide editor Owen Waters quickly chooses the duck salad ($16) before I even have time to read through all the selections.The vegetarian plate ($17) is the first thing to catch my eye, so I order that as we sip spring water and admire the boats docked at The Moorings in Wickham’s Cay II. Kim Mason, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager at The Moorings, joins us and orders an arugula de gambas salad ($16). At neighbouring tables overlooking the water, the owners of a very popular BVI dinner spot sip large glasses of white wine, a family celebrates a birthday, a group of thirtysomethings sample colourful cocktails from the specialty drinks menu, and other patrons happily munch away. Though it is quite possibly the hottest day of the summer, and the pizza oven is blazing behind the bar, the breeze blows from all directions at this open-air restaurant, and no one looks the least bit warm. The sleek furnishings, light fixtures, cathedral ceilings, fans and flooring add to the cool factor, in both senses of the word. Since we’ve now ordered, I have time to glance over the rest of the menu. My mouth waters as I read over the different pizza toppings—aubergines, goat cheese, carmelized onions, pineapple. Charlie’s also offers several meat and seafood pizzas and a four-cheese pie that makes me want to change my order. Especially when I see the chefs slide the pizza peel deep into the open fire. Just as I’m about to try to sneak a slice from the table beside us, our friendly server sets our plates before us, and I’m impressed with the meal-sized salads that Kim and Owen ordered. My veggie plate is colourful and balanced. With tempura zucchini strips, grilled Portobello with spinach and cheese, and the melon/papaya salad, I unknowingly
ordered an appetizer, entree and dessert all in one course. I polish off the fried zucchini before I even notice that they would’ve benefited from a sauce like mango chutney—something spicy and sweet. The Portobello tastes right off the barbeque. I can almost taste the flames. The crisp spinach leaves and shaved parmesan compose their own gourmet salad atop the mushroom, but the flavours and textures blend perfectly with each forkful I consume. After the mushroom, I spike the tines of my fork into the salad of mango and papaya, dressed in salt, white vinegar and fresh parsley. The vinegar adds a crisp bite to the sweet fruits. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every bit of my meal. My compliments to Chef Imran Ashton. Owen loves the arugula in his salad, calling it “peppery.” The cranberry dressing compliment the duck, greens and orange slices, but it’s not overpowering. “Subtle,” he says. Kim’s salad comes topped with a swirl of six large, glazed prawns and a roasted bell pepper dressing. The fact that we don’t have time for tiramisu saddens me. Charlie’s also offers a lemon tart and a gelato trio for those with a sweet tooth. All that means, though, is that I’ll have to come back, and next time I must try the pizzas. YG
The arugula de gambas salad comes topped with a roasted bell pepper dressing.
The in-the-know lunch crowd enjoys open-air dining at The Moorings.
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE OCTOBER 2009
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A New Cat in Town by Richard Wooldridge
The current trends in transportation engineering mostly revolve around fabricating fuel-efficient vehicles. An innovative team in the BVI joins the trend by designing and building a one-of-a-kind, minimally consumptive powercat. In the heart of Road Town, in a small shed tucked away in the corner of the TYS yard, they are building the first Rodgers 29, a high-tech, lightweight power catamaran that the build team believe will bring an efficiency of motion and a breath of fresh air to the powerboat market. BVI apprentices complete hull #1.
Several years ago, old friends Bob Phillips and yacht designer OH Rodgers were in Christmas Cove, St Thomas enjoying an après-race beer during the Rolex Regatta. Bob’s eye was taken by a small ex-racing catamaran that had been cleverly converted to power by the talented St Thomian boat builder, Morgan Avery. Perched on a plastic deck chair under a thin plywood shade, Morgan effortlessly sped by with his centrally mounted 15hp outboard barely straining to the task. Bob simply said to OH, “Design me a 26-foot version of that. I want one.” Roll forward a couple years to last October, and a frustrated Bob has OH’s 26-foot design in hand but has been unable to find a suitable yard to build the molds and the first boat. So, why not do the obvious and build the boat locally? Island Yacht Management (IYM) and Golden Hind Chandlery (GHC) waste no time in teaming up with Bob to do precisely that. It is a natural fit—IYM has the proven track record, having built 12 of the popular IC24’s, and Ramiz Abuhaydar
from GHC has the supply lines to source all the materials. In a few short weeks, the IYM team has a model of one of the symmetrical hulls roughed up in ¾” thick pine strips over carefully cut out plywood frames set into a specially constructed base. It was decided to stretch the design to a shade under 30 feet and increase the beam to 12 feet, which is about the maximum beam a regular marina berth can take. The initial burst of progress is tempered by the yacht management season starting. The model of the hull, known as “the plug,” sits there clad in pine, but progress is halted until the New Year. Shortly after the BVI Spring Regatta, a “Will this ever happen?” meeting is called, and it was time to get the project moving again. The last six months have shown that a full-time project manager would be required to get the job done. Things fell nicely into place, and by July 31, IYM hired Miles Fossey to join the fray along with two young apprentices. Miles has useful experience in model making, boat building and project management. Bob has now set the launch deadline for hull #1—he
The intricate, finer details of constructing a hull by hand.
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OCTOBER 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Richard Woolridge, Bob Phillips and Ramiz Abuhaydar work together to make this model a reality.
. . .a winning formula of the speed and stability of a powercat coupled with economically and environmentally friendly fuel efficiency. wants to run the Interline Regatta in mid-October from the cockpit of the BVI’s first Rodgers 29. So what is it that makes this cat so special? The design brief is to have a strong but lightweight day catamaran that can handle six-foot trade-wind seas whilst carrying up to six adults at around 25 knots with a range of 150 miles. The big difference between the Rodgers 29 and other commercially available powercats is that she has been designed to do all this with only 50hp or 60hp outboards that will burn a total of six gallons of fuel per hour running hard, much less if you are not in a hurry. The hull, decks, and beams will be high-tech, vacuum-bagged foam core
construction using epoxy resin, not the commonly used polyester ‘boatyard’ resin. Epoxy resin gives much better strength to weight and is far more durable than cheaper resin systems. The team hopes that the finished article will have a wide appeal to both work and leisure markets. Wooldridge says, “If she does what it says on the label, she will be the most efficient way for small groups to travel around the Islands. The large shaded deck space will be an ideal place to hang out, and the fuel efficiency will be unheard of.”He adds, ”We plan to have hull #2 ready for sale in November, and after that, we intend to produce one hull per month.”
Teamwork abounds at Wickham's Cay.
Hull #1 will be kept in-house for extensive testing and general showing off. She will be at all the major regattas and will also be off on a Caribbean tour. “We hope that demand will exceed supply so we can custom build to our clients’ requirements.” Though many hulls are tried and tested in the BVI, the cat has proven to be the most popular, among day charters, for balance and a raised water line. This project, with BVI apprentices learning a new trade, incorporates a winning formula of the speed and stability of a powercat coupled with economically and environmentally friendly fuel efficiency. And it’s 100% BVI. YG
www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE OCTOBER 2009
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WOmEn on the
Water
Charter Yacht Society’s Janet Oliver by Traci O'Dea
Janet Oliver must go to the gym, I think when she stands up from behind her desk to greet me. She’s buff. But as I sit in her office in Wickham’s Cay and watch her multitasking—pivoting between her computer and printer to scan a document for a colleague, shaking the hand of a potential charter boat owner who stops by, stretching over to a drawer behind her to grab an envelope for her son—I wonder if she even needs to exercise. “Usually, it’s nice and quiet,” she says after one of many interruptions to our interview. Janet handles each with such graceful attention that I think she probably is always this busy—she just doesn’t notice.
Janet Oliver catches her breath during last year's BVI Charter Yacht Show. All photos by Jim Scheiner
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OCTOBER 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
Janet serves as the Executive Director for the Charter Yacht Society (CYS), a non-profit organization which represents independent crewed charter yachts based in the BVI. CYS also hosts and organizes the annual BVI Charter Yacht Show in Village Cay.The boat show takes place in early November, and based on Janet’s level of activity, the recent economic crisis has not affected registration. “We’re booked solid this year,” she says, “which is great. It’s just those lastminute people who come in and say, ‘Ah! I could’ve sworn that I booked!’ But we’ve never had to turn anybody away. We are always able to accommodate.” I’m not surprised. Janet is naturally accommodating, and it’s fitting that she works for a non-profit. “You don’t get into the charter business unless you have the qualities that it takes to be a host. You have to like people,” she says and adds that the BVI Charter Yacht Show is “more than just a boat show. It’s a crewed yacht show. The crew can really make the difference between a good and a great vacation. Our crews in the BVI are among the best in the world. As one of the brokers said very aptly, ‘You can have a brand new luxurious yacht and a mediocre crew, which will make for a mediocre trip, or you can have a mediocre yacht with a fabulous crew, and that will make for a fabulous vacation.’ In the BVI, we tend to have both excellent yachts and excellent crew.” In the early 1990s, Janet worked as crew on a Moorings yacht, a 50foot monohull. “I can’t think of a better way of experiencing the islands than being able to move around them freely, basically like a turtle— move your home with you,” Janet says then tells me about some of her experiences as crew. “Our most notable guests,” she recounts, “were three older ladies—fit as fiddles despite being in their late seventies to mid eighties. They were sisters, fondly nicknamed the 'Sloop Sisters.' They were airline stewardesses with Delta from the early days of
The BVI Charter Yacht Show is an annual event at Village Cay.
flying, and they would leave their husbands at home because the husbands ‘couldn’t handle the quick pace’ of life on a boat. They would arrive, and the first thing they’d do, they’d tell us, ‘Take us for a sail.’ ” As Janet speaks, I can imagine the three sisters, once crew themselves—only in the air—letting themselves be pampered on the water. “We would take them to the south side of the island chain where the sailing is more challenging, and they would crack open one beer and share it between the three of them, and they’d sit up on the bow, and they’d dip their feet in the water when the boat heeled. Their ‘age is just a number’ attitude remains an inspiration to me.” By Janet’s tone and smile as she conveys the story, it’s clear that serving those ladies and giving them a great vacation made her as happy as it made them. After working as crew, Janet worked in a charter yacht clearinghouse which, she explains, “holds the calendar for the crew.” I must look puzzled because Janet clarifies. “When a broker wants to book the boat, they call the clearinghouse, confirm the rates, make sure the crew are available, ask any questions they need to ask, and when the booking is confirmed, they send the money to the clearinghouse. The clearinghouse sets the money aside until the time of the charter, and then they release it to the crew.” Sounds confusing, but I’m sure it helps make the industry here run as smoothly as it does. Janet then started a family and finally landed her current position at CYS, which was originally parttime. “The job has just grown and developed. The yachting industry in general, crewed and bareboat, has come a long way.” She speaks of the yachting industry in the BVI with much affection when telling
destination,” Janet says. “They’re sold on the vacation me about the Expo in the Park night at the Charter choice, but we need to sell them on the BVI. Our Yacht Show. “It’s a wonderful snapshot of the industry members are BVI-based. We represent their interests. working together,” Janet says. “If it weren’t for the We like to ensure the visiting brokers are able to support networks in place, [the BVI] would still be a reflect on more than just yachts and docks.” She tells great yachting destination—geography-wise and with the trade winds, but the support services are superior me about the special treat the Charter Yacht Society offers to the brokers after the boat show. “We offer to any other place.You can go out on an independent a day sail to the brokers. About eight or nine of our yacht, and if any mechanical problem occurs, that member yachts participate. We put them on those can be dealt with right away. We have an incredible yachts and send them off for a sail. Around noon, they support network—laundry services, provisioning, pick tuck themselves into a picturesque anchorage. The up and drop off. It makes it so slick. The Expo evening brings together many businesses "Once you've worked in this industry, you've worked as crew, you that are interlinked. have a passion for the industry that stays with you...Our job is to It doesn’t have to expose people who live here and instil the passion in them." be marine services. It can be a gift shop brokers jump in the water, play with the water toys, that you take your guests to. I think sometimes we enjoy a snorkel, beachcomb and then settle down to see the yachts out there, and we don’t realize their lunch on board. The chefs go all out. Late afternoon, dependence on the land-based businesses. There’s a we meet up at the dock of Peter Island Resort, and real connection there, and I think through the Expo we have a chartered ferry pick them up. Their luggage you realize it, and you see all the connections.” is already on board. We send them to the St Thomas Janet almost gushes as she continues. “Once you’ve worked in this industry, you’ve worked as crew, you have [Fall Yacht] Show. I think it’s a wonderful way of enabling them to unwind and reminding them what is a passion for the industry that stays with you.You love so wonderful about this vacation.” the industry and have a desire to share it with other The charter yacht industry embodies some of people. Our job is to expose people who live here and the best qualities of the BVI—community, service, instil the passion in them.They see all these boats, and relaxation, cooperation, and, of course, sailing. Janet they know about the charter industry, but they’ve never Oliver’s commitment to these qualities is apparent experienced a holiday on a boat as a charter guest. We as she nimbly manages tasks as small as scanning a want them to experience a day as a charter guest to document for a colleague and as big as organizing the know why people do it over and over again.” The brokers are another group of people that Janet first boat show of the season. YG wants to experience the BVI, to “sell them on the
Managment of the society's needs requires constant dedication. www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE OCTOBER 2009
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Spinnakers on the race course, the aim is to fly the bag full.
EDGE
In full bloom, beam reaching at its finest. by David Blacklock
Tricks and Tips for Spinnaker Trim Students often tell me that one reason they got attracted to the idea of sailing was seeing a fleet of racers pop open their big, colourful sails and appear to just float along the bay. Words like “poetry” and “graceful” sometimes pepper these conversations. Later, when getting to deploy these poetic, graceful spinnakers, students seem to prefer words such as “beast,” “bastard” and other terms not suitable for this family-friendly forum. Indeed, coming to terms with the spinnaker, whether on a 20-something footer or a 20-something metre boat, a few principles apply. First, whoever coined the phrase “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” probably got the idea while trimming a spinnaker, since eternal vigilance is indeed the trimmer's stock-in-trade. Keeping the spinnaker at the appropriate angle to the apparent wind
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and communicating with the helm take significant amounts of concentration which pays off in terms of boat speed. One impression many sailors have is that the spinnaker is like a hot-air balloon or an umbrella and will simply catch the wind that is blowing into it. Instead, think of the spinnaker as a foil, like any other sail, that causes the wind to bend and is working most efficiently when the wind is flowing smoothly around the outside (leeward) surface. It's not called a kite for nothing. The lines that control the spinnaker are the guy which controls the tack by way of the pole on the weather side and the sheet which controls the leeward end of the sail. Since the spinnaker (in this case) is symmetrical, familiar terms such as tack and clew are inter-changeable as the spinnaker is gybed. Clearly, the key to top trim is to have clear communication
OCTOBER 2009 BVI YACHT GUIDE ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING | www.bviguides.com
The bigger the kite, the harder it is to manage.
between the various crew trimming the sheet, the guy and with the helm. The conventional wisdom is to set the pole perpendicular to the apparent wind—just make sure you are reading the wind from the top of the mast (masthead fly or anemometer-type system) rather than lower down. Make sure, too, that the tack and clew are at the same height—if the tack is lower than the clew, raise the pole to even them out. Ease the sheet until you see the luff begin to curl, and then trim until the curl disappears. Keeping the luff on the edge of curling is the bane of the trimmer's life—the slightest distraction will see the spinnaker collapsing. The idea is to keep the air flowing along the outside of the sail—as the sheet is eased, the wind pressure pushes back against the outside of the luff, creating the curl. Then the trimmer pulls back on the sheet to allow the air to flow smoothly. If the luff doesn't curl every so often, the boat is sailing slow. As the boat accelerates when surfing a wave, apparent wind moves forward and increases.The spinnaker trimmer needs to trim the sheet immediately, and to ease out as the boat slows again. Inattention can cause a rapid collapse of the sail.The trimmer's reactions can be compromised if the helm tries to compensate by steering the boat away from the luffs—make sure there is good communication, then the helm can help avoid a collapse by falling off as the boat accelerates. When the luff begins to curl, take note of whether it is curling high up or low down. If the curl is high, the pole is too low, and vice versa. When adjusting the pole height, don't just control the outboard end, but if possible raise or lower the pole along the track which attaches it to the mast. One important point is to trim the sheet rather than the guy—you want a stable leading edge with the angle of attack being controlled from the clew end, rather than pulling the tack into the wind, or letting it fall away. In conclusion, the secret to spinnaker trim is to make the adjustments quick and slick. Keeping the movement fluid will help avoid collapse, provided you react immediately to the first signs of a folding luff. Then perhaps you will feel the poetry and grace generated by the powerful beast that you control. YG
Upcoming Races Pete Shiels Memorial Match Racing Cup Willy-T Virgin's Cup Race North Sound and Back Race BVI Schools Regatta Nanny Cay IC24 Nation's Cup Pusser's Round Tortola Race Carlos Aguilar Memorial Match Race
3 - 4 Oct 10 Oct 24 - 25 Oct
31 Oct - 1 Nov 14 - 15 Nov 21 Nov 2 - 6 Dec
O'Neal & Mundy Commodore's Cup & Prizes 19 Dec And if that's not enough, check out the forum on www.IC24.org for more weekly beercan racing action right off the southern end of Nanny Cay. IC24s are the new fad in racing and spreading fast to the rest of the Caribbean and North America. www.bviguides.com | ALOOKINGGLASS PUBLISHING BVI YACHT GUIDE OCTOBER 2009
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bvi yachting directory RT
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BVI Yacht Charters (NC) 284-494-9200
mARInAS & YACHT CLUBS Nanny Cay Marina & Hotel (NC)
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REPAIRS & SUPPLIES
bviyachtsales.com (nC) (284) 494-3260 est. 1981 | Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: No Brand(s): Non-Specific Year Make: 1976-2006 Type(s): Non-Specific Boats Sold/yr: 70 Number of Brokers: 3
Charterport (RT)
Doyle Sailmakers BVI (RT)
284-494-2569
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284-494-0098
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284-494-1124
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284 494-4289
284-543-6724
YACHT CHARTERS & BROKERS
284 494-7955
charteryachtsales.com (RT) (284) 494-4868 est. 1986 | Fleet size: 46 Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: Yes Brand(s): Beneteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon, Leopard, Norseman, Island Spirit, Athena, Hunter Year Make: 1996-2004 Type(s): Sailboat Cats and Monohulls
pvc@provalorcharters.com (EE) (284) 495-1931 est. 1993 | Fleet size: 16 Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: Yes Year Make: 1993 – 2006 Brand(s): Beneteau, Jeanneau, Fountaine Pajot power and sail, Lagoon Type(s): Sail & Power Cats and Monohulls
Racing in Paradise (NC)
284-494-6781
Sail Bravura (RT)
284 443-2586
Southern Trades (RT)
284 494-8003
Sunsail (EE)
888 416-8420
The Moorings (RT)
888 416-8420
Double D Charters (VG)
284 499-2479
TMM (RR)
800 633-0155
Footloose (RT)
284 494-0528
Tortola Yacht Sales (RT)
284 494-2124
123hulls.com (RT) (284) 499-0591 est. 2007 | Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: No Brand(s): Non-Specific Year Make: Non-Specific Type(s): Non-Specific Number of brokers: 3 horizonyachtcharters.com (nC) (284) 494-8787 est. 1998 | Fleet size: 36 Sells Boats: Yes Charters Boats: Yes Brand(s): Bavaria, Jeanneu, Beneteau, Fontaine Pajot, Lagoon Year Make: 2002-2009 Type(s): Sailboat Cats and Monohulls barecats@surfbvi.com (EE) (284) 495-1979 est. 1993 | Fleet size: 10 Sells boats: No Charters Boats: Yes Brand(s): Fontaine Pajot, Lagoon, Leopards, Island Spirit, Robertson & Caine, Privilege, Voyages Year Make: 1997-2005 Type(s): Catamarans
patouche.com (TB) (284)494-6300 est. 1991 | Fleet size: 6 Sells Boats: No Charters Boats: Yes Brand(s): Peter Spronk, Sea Ray, Privilege, Beneteau Year Make: 1976-2006 Type(s): Sail & Power Cats & Monohulls
FOR SALE: RAKU 30' custom Bradley powerboat Contact Laura Dangelo at laura_dangelo47@yahoo.com
156 engine hours, twin 200HP yamaha engines Very low maintenance, excellent condition $50,000 FIRM price
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